While PlayStation fans are still reeling over the debacle that was the PS5 pre-order scene last week, Xbox fans are preparing to try and get their hands on an Xbox Series X or S pre-order tomorrow. With Xbox Series X and Series S pre-orders set to go live tomorrow morning at 8 am PT, players will need to be awake bright and early if they hope to nail the sale. However, it seems like players will need more than a good night's sleep if they hope to get their console of choice from GameStop.
According to several sources, including Wario64, GameStop will have very few Xbox Series X and Series S units available to pre-order in-store. It seems as though players can expect their local GameStop to have anywhere between 6-12 Series X units, and only 2-4 Series S units. These numbers seem to make sense considering EB Games in Australia sold out of its Xbox console stock within 20 minutes of launch.
With this information in mind, it looks like the pre-orders for the Xbox Series X will be tough to get, but it still seems that they will be at least more organized than PS5 pre-orders last week. PS5 pre-orders were ruined by Walmart jumping the gun the day before they were supposed go live, causing other retailers to join in the chaos.
However, today Xbox made the biggest Series X announcement it could before pre-orders go live tomorrow. Xbox boss Phil Spencer made the announcement that Microsoft had acquired ZeniMax Media, the parent company of such developers as Bethesda, id Software, MachineGames, and others. This acquisition makes series like Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, and DOOM first-party Xbox titles.
This acquisition will help Xbox to make its case as it attempts to win over fans with the Xbox Series X and, more importantly, its Xbox Game Pass. Adding Bethesda to the mix at Xbox brings it to a total of 23 studios, further cementing the fact that the console maker has more next-gen exclusive titles than the PS5 does.
Despite this, it seems that the PS5 is still front-runner when it comes to player interest. According to some analysts, the PlayStation 5 is currently on track to outsell the Xbox Series X by over one million units by the end of 2020. However, that seems to be fine with Xbox. To Xbox, this generation isn't about selling consoles; it's about getting Xbox Game Pass in every home. And if they happen to sell Xbox Series X and Series S units along the way, that's just a bonus.
Xbox Series X is set to launch on November 10, 2020.